Concrete form



A. F BEMIS CONCRETE FORM Aug. 11, 1936.

6 Sheet's-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1934 Aug. 11, 1936, A. F. BEMISI2,050,257

CONCRETE FORM Filed July 18, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 u u v O u v u u u u0 I! D O O O O O D l I C D 5 Q a I J j Aug. 11, 1936. A. F, BEMIS2,050,257

CONCRETE FORM Filed July 18, 1934 6 SheetsSheet 3 fiwerzioz Aug. 11,1936. A. F. BEMIS 2,050,257

CONCRETE FORM Filed- July 18, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 11, 1936. A FBEM|$ I 2,050,257

CONCRETE FORM Filed July 18, 1954 s Sheetls-Sheet 5 if 174 if if 54 G\ oo go 0 Q- "94 II WII o 0 F I 0 E ii 1 E 3 WW 9 -/JF o ii X:' j\

Aug. 11, 1936. A, F BEMIS 2,050,257

CONCRETE FORM Filed July 18, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 1 1F 5 g; 24 3 24 5;Z E91;

' l'wrzZar' Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEIndustries, Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a

poratlon of Delaware Application July 18, 1934, Serial N0. 735,809

10 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of forming walls ofcementitious material and to walls which are produced as a result of themethod as well as to form elements employed for this purpose.

In some respects the present invention comprises a further developmentof and improvement upon the method and construction disclosed in mycopending application Serial No. 667,846, filed April 25, 1933.

Heretofore it has been customary in the erection of walls ofcementitious materials such as concrete walls to assemble formsincluding numerous frame elements and concrete-retaining plates ortemporary boarding, and to pour cement into the form thus erected. Theerection of the temporary forms and the stripping of the same from thecement has been a troublesome and relatively expensive operation.

The present invention afiords a method of concrete construction whichinvolves the erection of forms without necessity of fitting individualform boards in place. The form proper may comprise sheet material whichis relatively flexible, such as a rather heavy fabric, e. g. burlap.Fabric of this character is relatively inexpensive, it may be readilyshipped and. handled and it need not bestripped from the set concrete.

In accordance with this invention, the form may be provided with asimple framework to support the sheet material in suspended position. Ingeneral, the framework may include opposite sill strips, correspondinggirt strips and connecting uprights therebetween. Uprights may belocated at corners and. wall intersections and, in the case of a longstraightwall, at intervals between corners or intersections, to supportlongitudinal frame elements or girt strips from which the sheet materialis suspended. The framework 40 may be constructed out of readilyavailable wooden elements such as two by four inch strips, or it mayinclude standardized parts, some of which may be adjustablein length.

Preferably the sheet material may be substantially preformed to define aplurality of cellular sections; thus, the form proper is characterizedby opposite face sheet portions of somewhat flexible or readilydeformable material which are interconnected at intervals by ties whichpreferably may be of the same fabric as the form itself. Thus whenburlap is employed in the form proper, numerous burlap webs interconnectthe opposite face sheet portions of the form, these webs beingrelatively porous so that the concrete can penetrate the interstices ofthe iii-brie to Bil permit the integral Joining of the concrete withinadjoining cells.

In order to aid the proper disposition of the fabric in the form proper,the supporting framework preferably is arranged to receive certainretaining and reinforcing elements which may conveniently be metal bars.Preferablythe adjoining sections of the form proper are arranged toafford loop portions at the ends of each web, the rods being inserted inthese loop portions when the fabric form is being constructed.

Further features of the invention relate to the structural arrangementand characteristics of the framework and its component parts whichpermit facile erection and disassembly of the framing.

In the accompanying drawings: V

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a form erected in accordance withthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a typical portion of a fabric form proper;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a fabric form section which is employed ata corner or wall intersection;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a corner portion of the lower frameworkwhich may be employed with this type of construction;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a part of the lower framework or sill portionof such a form;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a typical corner of the upper portion ofthe framework of the form:

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a corner portion of the form;

Fig. 8 is a top view showing the arrangement of the frame at a wallintersection;

Fig. 9 is a broken plan view of a part of the upper portion of the formas it may be arranged when a relatively long straight wall is beingprovided;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of a part of a completed wallconstructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 11 is a broken top plan view of the corner portion of an optionalframe arrangement;

Fig. 12 is a broken vertical section of a form in which a frame of thetype illustrated in Fig. 11 is employed;

Fig. 13 is an elevational detail of an arrangement which may be employedwith the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12;

Fig. 14 is an isometric view of a corner portion of a temporary sillassembly which may be employed in framework of the type disclosedherein;

and-- Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic detail showing the arrangement of thefabric sections in a typical wall.

While this invention may be employed in different environments and fordifferent purposes, it is particularly adapted to the erection offoundation walls. For this purpose a footing I may first be formed ofconcrete in the conventional manner. A lower frame may then be arrangedon the footing. This frame may include opposite wooden strips ortemporary sills 2, which may be cut from ordinary two inch by four inchstock. These strips tend to remain in place due to their own weight andthe weight of the superposed framework but they may also be connected bynailing to stakes 3 which are driven into the ground at intervalsadjoining the footing i in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. At thecorners, the ends of the strips 2 may be brought into abuttingengagement, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and splicing pieces 5 may then benailed to the adjoining ends of the two strips to hold them in place.

At corners, wall intersections, and at intervals therebetween, ifdesired, assemblies of uprights may be connected to the temporary sills2. Thus at a corner four uprights 6 may be secured as by nails I to thetemporary sills 2, these. uprights having a height substantially of theorder of the height of the wall which is to be poured. When the uprights6 have been arranged at one corner of the form in this manner, a unit ofthe upper framework or temporary girt structure may be connected to theuprights. Corner units i0, such as shown in Fig. 6, may be preformed andcomprise pairs of parallel strips ll connected to each other by spacermembers i3.

After one of the corner units In is thus disposed on the correspondingassembly of uprights 3 it may be braced in approximate position bydiagonal braces IS; the longitudinal framing for the upper part of theform may then be connected to one part of the corner unit. As shown inFigs. 6, '7 and 9, such framing may conveniently be in the form of apreformed unit l4 comprising parallel side rails I! which are connectednear their ends by wooden pieces IS, the spacing of the members ii ofthe corner units and of the parallel rails is of the longitudinal unitsbeing the same.

A unit l4 may be connected to the already erected unit i by means ofwooden splicing strips l2 secured by bolts l 3' to the ends of theadjoining units, as shown in Fig. 6. The end of the unit l4 which isremote from the first corner may then be connected to a second cornerunit such as the unit III (Fig. 8) which is supported on uprights 6arranged in the manner already described.

By following this general method of procedure, a light, skeletonizedframework may be erected to define the entire wall structure, it beingobvious that, where a relatively long straight wall, uninterrupted bycorners, is desired, uprights 6 may be disposed beneath the adjoiningends of straight units l4, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9. Therails 15 of the units may then be connected by strips i 2 in the generalmanner already described.

After the framework has been initially erected, the uprights may bebrought accurately into vertical position by moving the diagonal bracesI3 where necessary. If desired, accurate leveling of the upper frame maybe obtained by placing wooden shims or wedges between the lower portionsof the temporary sills 2. However, especial care in leveling theframework is not essential,

since the upper surface of the poured concrete will be below the top ofthe framework.

After the temporary framework has been erected in the general mannerdescribed, the form proper may be connected thereto. The form proper mayconsist essentially of two kinds of units formed of sheet material. Inthe major portion of the wall structure, 1. e.. beneath the longitudinalunits H, a series of cellular elements, formed, for example, of burlap,may be used. These cellular elements each are formed of a single pieceof burlap arranged as shown in Fig. 2 to provide a substantiallyU-shaped element having a web portion 2| with loops 22 defined at eachof its ends, stitching 23 being provided for this purpose. From theloops 22 the burlap may extend in face sheet portions 24 which inpractice are joined to the looped portions of the adjoining section.Thus the ends of the portions 24 of one cellular section are broughtabout the loops 22 of the adjoining section and the web portion 2| ofthe second section closes the fourth side of the first section. A seriesof units or sections may thus be joined together to provide face sheetportions having a size substantially conforming to that of the wall tobe erected. At the end of a row of Joined sections of this type, thelast section will be provided with face portions 24 having free marginswhich may be connected to an adjoining section in situ. At theassemblies of uprights, as at comers and wall intersections, specialform sections 28 may be provided, such as shown in Fig. 3, wherein thesheet material is sewed up into the form of a hollow square having loopportions 22* at each of its corners. I have found it preferable to havethe warp strands of the fabric extend vertically of the units and weftstrands transversely thereof.

When an assembly of sections, such as shown in Fig. 2, are joined to acorner section, the free edges of the face sheet portions 24 of the lastsection may be fastened about the loop portions 22 of the corner unit bysewing or by wire staples 85 (Fig. 15). At the opposite end of -a row offabric sections face sheet portions 24* may be stitched to provide freeedges similarly to be secured to a square or corner section 26 asdiagrammatically indicated at the right of Fig. 15.

In practice rods 30, for example of cold rolled steel, may be insertedin the loops 22 and 22', the loops having a light frictional engagementwith the rods permitting the latter to be readily fed or worked throughthe loops when necessary. An assembly of burlap sections to define astraight wall portion may be assembled with its rods in a suitablemanufacturing establishment so that the rods and burlap sections may berolled up into a bundle and brought onto the building site. Cornersections 26 may be similarly preformed and shipped.

The rails II and I of the upper framework may have screw eyes 32 mountedtherein at distances corresponding to the spacing of the loops 22 of theburlap sections, while the sill strips 2 may similarly be provided withscrew eyes 33. When the parts of the framework are brought into propervertical positioning in the manner described above, the screw eyes 32and 33 are in proper vertical alignment. Each rod 30 may first have itsupper end inserted in the proper screw eye 32 and thereafter its lowerend may be inserted in the corresponding screw eye 33. In practice therods at one end of an assembly of burlap sections may be bentsufllciently and/or the burlap worked along the rods to a sufficientextent to permit the proper location of the first rods of the row inthis manner, whereupon successive rods of the burlap assembly may besimilarly arranged in corresponding screw eyes. Obviously the rods 30 atthe corners of each unit 26 are similarly mounted with their ends inscrew eyes 32 and 33. The face-sheet portions 24 and 24 of the wallunits may be connected to the corner units 26 by stitching or wirestaples 85. The upper portion of the burlap form proper may then be tiedby ductile wire 35 to each of the screw eyes, as illustrated in Fig. 1.Thus the burlap form is positioned in the frame so that the upper marginof the face sheet portions of the form proper are disposed above thelower parts of the longitudinal rails I5, while the lower margins of theburlap sections are disposed below the upper surfaces of the temporarysills 2. A fabric form consisting of a series of cellular units is thussuspended from the framework to define the entire wall structure.

The concrete may then be poured into the cellular units provided by theburlap. Preferably the pouring is effected at intervals along the wallassembly, thus to afford a more uniform effect and to avoid distentionof the burlap at one end of thewall while the burlap cells in theopposite ends are empty. Thus in practice the cells or burlap sections28 at the corners and wall intersections may first be poured; thenalternate sections therebetween may be poured; and if there should beany odd section in a straight wall section, this may then be poured.Lastly the remaining .sections may be poured. In order to aid firminterlocking of the face sheets with the wet concrete and to'avoiclpossible surface irregularities in the concrete, the face sheetspreferably are pressed against the concrete by troweling during orimmediately after pouring. After concrete has been poured tosubstantially one half the height of each section the cement may betamped if desired, and it may again be tamped when the unit has beensubstantially filled. Preferably the level of the poured concrete may besubstantially even with the upper ends of uprights ii.

The concrete employed may be of a conventional type, being, for example,sanded rather richly and may include small stone rather than coarsegravel. What is known commercially as vibrated concrete has been foundrelatively satisfactory for this purpose.

after the concrete has initially set, for example, within twenty-fourhours, the rods 3d may he slid out of the loops by being pulled out ofthe top of the form assembly. Thereafter the temporary framework may bedisassembled and removed from the poured cementitious material. and theburlap form proper. The resulting wall may be characterized by slightlybulged burlap face sheet portions between the loops at the ends of theweb sections 2i. If desired, the loops may be slit with a knife eitherbefore or after the removal of the rods. In order to aid inwaterproofing such a wall, the burlap face sheet portions may be coatedwith a suitable water-resistant or repellant material such as asphalticcomposition. If a flush wall surface is desired, a continuous coating ofstucco may be disposed over the burlap face sheet portions, asdesignated by numeral it in Fig. 10.

Figs. ll, 12 and 13 illustrate an optional emodiment of this inventionin which the lower portion of the framework for the form may be of anysuitable type such as that already disclosed.

tion, as shown for example in the left-hand por-- tion of Fig. 11, aunit 56 may be disposed between 110 inner and outer rails 51 to act as aspacer, while a unit 56 is obviously connected to the ends of rails 51at corners or wall intersections, as shown at the right of Fig. 11.

Each unit 56 may conveniently comprise four wooden pieces defining ahollow square and secured to each other by any suitable fastening means,openings being provided at the corners of the square to receive clampingbolts 60 or any suitable fastening means, such fastening means alsobeing adapted to pass through openings in the rails 51. The railsthemselves may be provided with spaced openings to receive fasteningmeans such as bolts 64 to permit the rails to be arranged in adjustableoverlapping position 'so that two or more rails may be secured to eachother to form a straight rail assembly of any desired length. Thus agirt assembly is provided which is readily adjustable to different sizesand requires but two types of parts in its construction, namely, thesquare units 56 and the rails 51.

In this embodiment of the invention the rails may be provided withnotches 63 and corresponding notches 64 may be afforded at the cornersof the square sections 56 to receive the rods 30. Any suitable fasteningmeans such as conventional wire hasps 65 (Fig. 13) may be associatedwith these notches to hold the rods 30 in place.

Fig. 14 illustrates an optional arrangement which may be employed at thecorners of assemblies of temporary sills. At the exterior cornerspreformed angular pieces 5| may be employed, being spliced to straightrail sections or strips 2 by meansof splicing plates 53. At an interiorcorner a diagonal brace 52 may be provided to connect the ends of rails2 This arrangement is particularly advantageous when the rails 2 areprovided in a range of standardized or modular lengths to permit theerection of walls having dimensions conforming to a definite modularsystern. It is evident that in general the principles of this inventionmay be employed with especial facility when walls having modulardimensions are being erected.

It is evident that this invention permits the convenient erection ofconcrete forms without requiring highly skilled labor and without theconstruction of elaborate wooden forms. The framework required by thistype of construction may be relatively simple and easily erected and maybe conveniently formed of readily available material such as two by fourinch stock or of such parts in conjunction with standardized elementssuch as the squares 56 and rails 51. The parts may be out to size andprovided with openings for connecting bolts, the screw eyes, hasps, etc.before they are brought to the site where the Wall is to be erected.

In most cases the burlap units may be preformed except for theconnections of free edges of units at comers in the manner describedsupra. This arrangement permits the employment of relatively flexiblesheet material such as burlap as the major pressure sustaining factor inthe wall. The arrangement of the rods 30 aids the proper maintenance ofthe burlap in position as the wall is poured, and the wire ties 35effectively oppose the tendency of the poured concrete to pull theburlap downwardly away from the upper part of the framework.

While for convenience of illustration, particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and15, the burlap is shown drawn tightly between the rods at the corners ofthe cells or cellular units, in practice the burlap may, if desired, bearranged somewhat loosely between these elements. Accordingly, thebulging of the sheet sections under the pressure of the poured cementnot only may result from some slight stretching of the fabric, but alsomay be due to the dimensions of the burlap sections between adjoiningrods.

In practice the weight of the concrete and its interlocking engagementwith the meshes of the burlap may cause a slight sagging of the midportions of rail sections I! or 51 between the assemblies of uprights.Accordingly the concrete is poured somewhat below the upper edge of theburlap, obviously being capable of setting to afford a level surfaceupon which the sills of the house may be secured by grouting or thelike, as desired.

' Since the rods and wooden framework are removed from the form, theymay be used repeatedly, the burlap remaining with the form affording aninexpensive means which affords an excellent ground for the applicationof waterproofing materials, stucco or the like.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A form arrangement comprising a horizontal, generally rectangularupper frame, supports for said frame, a form including opposite facesheets suspended and depending from the frames to define opposite facesof a wall to be poured, tension elements extending between said sheets,and spaced rows of substantially vertical rods secured to said frame andto the sheets to afford reinforcing means for the latter.

2. A form arrangement comprising a horizon- -tal, generally rectangularframe, supports for said frame, a form including opposite face sheetssuspended from the frame to define opposite faces of a wall to bepoured, tension elements extending between said sheets, a plurality ofrods extending downwardly from the frame, the sheets being provided withlooped portions receiving the rods extending therethrough, and a footingto which the lower ends of the rods are connected.

3. A form arrangement comprising a footing, a horizontal generallyrectangular frame, supports holding the ends of the frame above thefooting, a form of sheet material suspended from the frame, said formincluding opposite face sheet portions to define a wall and tensionelements extending between the face sheet portions, rows of rodsextending between the frame and footing and having parts of the facesheet portions secured thereto, the frame and footing having pcrtionsproviding openings in which the rods are slidably received.

4. Form assembly to be employed in the erection of a concrete wall orthe like comprising opposite face portions of flexible sheet material,webs of sheet material connecting-the face sheet portions and definingtherewith a series of cells, and metal rods secured to each of the facesheet portions adjoining the ends of the webs.

5. A form assembly to be employed in the erection of a concrete wallcomprising a series of interconnected units of flexible sheet material,each unit of the series including a web portion with loops formed at itsends and with integral face sheet portions extending from the loops andsecured to the loops at the ends of the web portion of an adjoiningunit.

6. A form assembly to be employed in the erection of a concrete wallcomprising a series of interconnected units of flexible sheet material,each unit of the series including a web portion with loops formed at itsends and with integral face sheet portions extending from the loops andsecured to the loops at the ends of the web portion of an adjoiningunit, and metal rods disposed in each of the loops and having endportions projecting beyond the ends of the loops.

7. A form for pouring concrete comprising a skeletonized frameworkincluding sill strips, girt strips, and connecting uprightstherebetween, a form assembly of flexible sheet material suspended fromthe girt strips and defining opposite faces of a wall to be poured, websof foraminous sheet material connecting the face sheets, and rods havingtheir ends slidably connected to the sill strips and girt strips andhaving their intermediate portions secured to the face sheet portions ofthe form assembly, whereby after pouring the rods may be removed fromthe frame by a vertical sliding movement.

8. A form for pouring with concrete comprising a girt frame assembly,supporting means for the assembly, and cellular units of flexible sheetmaterial suspended from said assembly, said assembly including unitsdefining a hollow square, and opposite rail sections secured to thesquare units by clamping bolts, the rails being secured in adjustableoverlapping engagement by bolt connections.

9. Concrete form comprising a frame including an upper horizontalsupport, opposite rows of spaced, vertical positioning rods secured tothe support, sections of flexible sheet material extending between andsecured to said rods, said sheet material being capable of bulgingoutwardly between the rods under the pressure of concrete poured betweenthe sections, and tension sheets extending between the rods of oppositerows to oppose the pressure of the poured concrete, said sections andsheets defining cellular units into which the concrete may be poured.

10. Concrete form comprising spaced, generally vertical positioningelements, sections of flexible sheet material extending between saidelements and being capable of bulging outwardly between said elementsunder the pressure of poured concrete, said sections and elementsaffording opposite face sheet assemblies, tension elementsinterconnecting the face sheet assemblies, and a frame-work providing anupper horizontal support to which the assemblies are connected, saidsupport providing openings through which concrete may be poured into thespace between the face sheet assemblies.

ALBERT F. BEMIS.

